the amount of hermaphroditic flowers can vary from cultivar, I think this is the main factor in productivity.

And do you, Bryan, (or anyone out there) happen to have a picture of what a hermaphrodite flower looks like as compared to the male or female flower? I mean can one see the difference with the naked eye?

#2 - what if one tried cross pollinating the M/F flowers by hand or with other means - would that not increase productivity?

thanks.....MangoArfie

you cant distinguish the flowers on a mango pannicle with the naked eye

from the link below:
Description

This section is from the book "Manual Of Tropical And Subtropical Fruits", by Wilson Popenoe. Also available from Amazon: Manual Of Tropical And Subtropical Fruits.
The Mango Flower And Its Pollination

The scanty productiveness of many Indian mangos has been attributed by several writers to defective pollination. A. C. Hartless, superintendent of the Government Botanical Gardens at Saharanpur, India, discussed the matter at some length in the Agricultural Journal of India, April, 1914. The writer has personally investigated the subject in Florida, and the results have been published in Bulletin 542 of the United States Department of Agriculture. Burns and Prayag have written on the structure and development of the mango flower in the Agricultural College Magazine, Poona, India, March, 1911. The mango is polygamous and produces its flowers on terminal panicles varying in length from a few inches up to two feet. Each panicle carries from 200 or 300 up to more than 4000 flowers, of which only 2 or 3 per cent are perfect in some varieties, or as many as 60 to 75 per cent in others. The character of the panicle and the number of flowers produced upon it differs according to the variety.

The individual flower (Fig. 13) is subsessile, 6 to 8 millimeters in diameter when the corolla is outspread; the calyx composed of five ovate-lanceolate, finely pubescent, concave sepals; and corolla of five elliptic-lanceolate to obovate-lance-olate petals, 3 to 4 millimeters long, whitish, with three or four fleshy orange ridges toward the base, and inserted at the base of a fleshy, almost hemispherical disk, obscurely 5-lobed and usually about 2 millimeters in diameter. In the perfect flower the disk is surmounted by a globose-oblique ovary 1 millimeter broad, with a slender lateral style about 2 millimeters high. To one side and inserted upon the disk is the single fertile stamen, composed of a slender subulate filament about 1.5 millimeters long, surmounted by an oval purplish red anther 0.5 millimeter long, which dehisces longitudinally. Occasionally two such stamens are produced. The whorl is completed by staminodes of varying prominence, short and subulate in some varieties, larger and capitate in. others, some even becoming fertile and producing a few pollen-grains. In the staminate flower the ovary is wanting.

Several writers have affirmed that the mango is largely if not solely wind-pollinated. It seems evident, however, that it has none of the characteristics of an anemophilous plant, but, on the other hand, presents well-developed adaptations to insect pollination. In anemophilous or wind-pollinated flowers, the pollen is usually abundant in order to compensate for the enormous loss in transport; the pollen-grains are dry and incoherent, so that they may easily be carried by the wind; and the stigmas are commonly bushy and freely exposed, so as to have every chance of catching the floating grains. The mango shows none of these adaptations. It produces comparatively few pollen-grains, often not more than 200 or 300 to an anther. These grains show a decided tendency to cling together, especially in damp weather; and even in dry sunny weather it is difficult to dislodge them with a strong draft of air. The stigma is small and not provided with projections of any sort to assist in catching pollen.

The production of nectar for the attraction of insects also indicates that the mango is entomophilous. Observations have shown that the flowers are visited by numerous insects of the orders Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Coleop-tera, ranking in the order given as to the number of visits. Pollen-grains have been observed adhering to the bodies of many species belonging to these orders.

In spite of numerous insect visits, however, a large number of the stigmas are never pollinated, and it seems probable that very little pollen is transferred from one flower to another. Most of the stigmas receive their pollen from the anther (rarely is more than one fertile) of the same flower. Cross-pollination is in all probability uncommon. In damp cloudy weather the pollen-grains swell and are much more difficult to dislodge than when the weather is dry and sunny. After a heavy dew they will be found in this swollen condition, but when the sun comes out they return to their normal dry form. Protection of the flowers from dew and rain by means of a canvas shelter did not increase the production of fruit in the case of an experiment carried out in Florida.

Sometimes there is considerable differentiation in the size of the pollen-grains. In most varieties the larger number, however, are uniform in shape and size, plump and apparently perfect. They can be germinated in sugar solution of the proper density, and there is nothing to suggest that impotency is common.

From the fact that pollination ordinarily is scanty, it might be assumed that productiveness could be increased by making it more abundant. This has not, however, been found to be the case, except when the pollen was obtained from a tree of a different variety (cross-pollination); under these conditions there was a somewhat better yield. The total number of flowers produced is so enormous that it is of little importance whether all are pollinated or not. Seedling mangos, which are not pollinated more abundantly than budded varieties, nor furnished with a greater number of anthers, nor, so far as can be ascertained, with pollen of greater potency, often set many more fruits than they can carry to maturity. This has been noted also with several grafted kinds, such as Bennett and Cambodiana.

Sometimes the entire tree comes into bloom at one time, covering itself with flowers; again, one side of the tree may flower, while the other shows no buds; or the flowering may be confined to a small section of the tree, probably the branchlets arising from one large limb. This behavior of the mango corresponds to the growth habit of the tree which is mentioned but not explained by A. F. W. Schimper.1 When one side of the tree flowers independently, it might be expected that the remainder would flower at another time, but this is not always the case.

Some varieties develop all their flowers within ten days after the first buds open; others, such as Sandersha and Julie, push out flower-panicles during a period of several weeks, or even months; thus, in 1915 there was not a single day between the middle of January and the latter part of May on which flowers could not be found on the old Sandersha tree in the Plant Introduction Garden at Miami, Florida. This feature is of importance in that it gives the tree a greater opportunity to set fruit. Often the attacks of the anthracnose fungus are severe when the tree is in bloom, and the entire crop of flowers is destroyed. In some varieties this means a crop failure, since the tree will not produce any more flowers that season; but in the Sandersha (if early in the season) it need mean only the loss of the flowers which were present at that particular time. Those developed later might enjoy more favorable weather, with consequent freedom from the anthracnose peril, and a crop of fruit would result. Anthracnose, one of the greatest enemies of the mango, is discussed under the heading pests and diseases.

Some varieties which fruit heavily are characterized by a high percentage of perfect flowers. Others which are known to be unusually regular in fruiting, although they may not produce such heavy crops, have relatively few perfect flowers. The Philippine race of seedlings, which sometimes bears heavily, commonly has more perfect than staminate flowers. Most of the Indian varieties have fewer perfect flowers than the seedling races.

1 Plant Geography.

The experiments conducted in Florida indicate that the scanty fruiting of many varieties is not due to any morphological defect in the pollen or to defects in the mechanism of pollination. While such factors as lack of pollinating insects and loss of pollen through rains or moist weather probably lessen the production of fruit in some seasons, from a practical standpoint the question of pollination seems relatively unimportant. The problem is more probably a physiological one, connected with nutritional conditions as influenced by changes in soil-moisture and food-supply, principally the former. Suggestions are given under the heading culture for encouraging the formation of fruit-buds on soils or under climatic conditions which normally tend to produce vegetative growth to the detriment of reproduction.

this picture is magnified 30x
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Here is a link that might be useful: http://chestofbooks.com/gardening-horticulture/fruit/Tropical-And-Subtropical-Fruits/The-Mango-Flower-And-Its-Pollination.html

well....bryan....believe it or not i read every word of this AND your attachment as it relates to mango cultivation. Fascinating stuff - some places where they girdle the trunk, salt the roots, trim them. remove the dirt from around the trunk and replace it with fresh soil, to promote flowering/fruiting. bizarro, but I suppose time honored in some places.

So, seems there's not a lot the normal person can do regarding fertilization of these shy bearing varieties as the pollen itself does not want to cooperate and travel to female flowers on the tree, and the complete, hermaphrodite flowers are just not in much abundance.....

but I still think if i shake the branches every day during flowering i might make a difference when the weather is dry and pollen wants to play....we'll see (wink wink)

mangomeow

mangodog,
I think mango trees do not have female flowers. Just hermaphrodite and male.

I looked that up on line, Merlin and I believe you are right about their being only male and bisexual flowers! And speaking of the little devil, here's a pic of Eddie pushing his first little flower buds. How come I see other pics with solely infloresence coming out at the pushing, and mine have leaves with the buds emerging from the side nodes?

And by the way, I think this East L.A. plant (Mimosa) is flowering from being in their zone up until a few weeks ago - I've NEVER had a mango flower here in the desert before March - next year will reveal the truth....

HAPPYmangowoofie

shaking the branch may help. I never realized wind could be a factor in a mango season.

Mangodog, some of my flowers looks exactly like yours...leaves on top and flowers below it. I've had both with or w/out leaves, so its pretty normal. Congrats on your blooms.

Nice blooms MangoDog!Oh, I see what you are talking about you are USDA zone 10A and sunset 13. We are USDA 10B and sunset 23.

So, Fernando - I think that makes you a slightly more tolerant (less cold) growing place, yes? But I got the HEAT baby, so once the children come out to play in March, the game's over, LaHabra.....lol.....

Hey - We should have a california mango tasting contest, see who grows the best stuff - Simon, Jacob, Ashley you guys want to gloat at the table???? Well, BRING IT!

(lol - sorry folks - just a little giddy when panicles start panicking my funny bone....)

MangoBarkingDog

MangoHelios -

Remember the old saying if you play with fire you're going to get burned LOL I learned the hard way LOL can you say burlap fabric LOL

On Feb. 22 you will see why Orange County is known as the land of fruits and honey LOL and of course La Habra the home of Hass Avocado....Palm Springs: the Wind Capital of the West?? LOL

Only kidding with you Bro, here is a nice article about the mango farms in coachella valley

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-marketwatch-20100813,0,5060129.story

Market Watch: Coachella desert's Valencia Pride and Keitt mangoes have arrived
Customers have been wondering for weeks when they'd show up, and now Wong Farms' desert mangoes, among the most exotic and eagerly sought fruits grown in California, are back at the Wednesday Santa Monica farmers market. Juicy, sweet and aromatic, they're expensive and tricky to obtain, but worth it for diehard mango lovers.

By David Karp, Special to the Los Angeles Times

August 13, 2010......

palm springs...the "wind capital" of the west - HURUMPHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

I know your kidding around Joe, great article by the way on Wong's Farms out here. I've got to call that number and see if they could let me/you go see that place some time. I still say Oasis gets colder than here in Palm Springs.

anyway....see ya around....nap time!

MangoSnoringDog

Am I looking at baby flowers here? I pruned this tree down to about 4 ft tall a year ago and this is the first time I've seen these. When the tree was big I got a few flowers but never any fruits. Not sure of the variety, but a local expert said it was a good tree, just needed TLC. I am in Okinawa - same latitude as south Florida and similar climate. Local commercial production uses plastic covers to keep rain off the flowers, and also wind protection from typhoons which sometimes start as early as midsummer. I'm all set to cover the tree with clear plastic, but has anyone ever heard of this being done elsewhere?

Its hard to tell for sure...but it looks like new growths to me?

What you are looking for is more something that looks like this...

puglvr1, yes, of course. I guess I had seen this photo posted a few years ago, and I was looking for something to exist that did not. Got fooled.... oh well. I am still confused by the seasonality of mangos here, since the commercial harvest is in July/August. Patience I guess...

This post was edited by okisteve on Sun, Jun 2, 13 at 8:52

Wait one second Steve :o)...is that picture you just posted above a picture of your tree? If it is then it Does look like Blooms to me!! The bigger they get the more sure you will be. I do have a picture of buds mixed with new leaves similar to the picture you just posted...

Keeping fingers crossed for you...I think some of the members in CA get blooms around January through March (generally speaking)...Good luck!!

No -- that was a pic that someone else posted here. Mine is just getting some new leaves. Thanks for the help anyway.

MangoDog,

The cure for your rare Edward is, be brave and get yourself a bee hive. My bees were all over the mango flowers.

Sapote

Hi Sapote!

My problem is not getting mangoes to set, but to STAY on the plant. Every one now for 3 years has fallen off.

So....because it was in a too hot location (against a Western wall here in the desert) I just transplanted it to a cooler place...the good news? It's already sprouting new growth from where I cut it back!!!

MDog